Saturday, March 29, 2014

I Give

It is better to give than to receive. You've heard it said a million times and yet do you believe it? It is a famous quote and yet do you know who said it? Have you ever really thought of the intent of the quote? I have. You hear it quoted often and in many contexts by many people, but what the heck does it mean?

I believe it's a statement about giving and receiving rather than the givER or receivER like so many would have us believe. It's a statement of fact, not a judgement on giving versus receiving. The word 'better' seems always to be the focus rather than the statement as a whole. Jesus simply said it as a matter of fact, not as a beginning of an argument. I've heard it used mostly to urge people to give--usually monetarily--and often followed by, "God loves a cheerful giver!". I'm pretty sure God loves uncheerful givers too. He loves everyone! I think Jesus, as the giver of all givers, stated it like he would have stated, "the sky is blue when the sun shines", not as a way to compare giving and receiving. It's just a fact.

If you master the art of giving you might never feel the need to receive ever again. Giving is an enjoyable act. In fact, God enjoys it so much that he does so every time He gives me another second; another breath; another day to understand redemption. He's like that.